Device for removing articles from show-windows.



No. 643,954. Patented Febfzo, 1900.

J. c. ERNST. DEVICE FOR REMOVING ARTICLES FROM SHOW WINDOWS.

(Application filed'Deq. 9, 1899.)

{No Model.)

WITNESSES w: hams PETERS no. Puoro-uwa, WASHINGTON n c UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE.

' JOHN C. ERNST, OF ANSONIA, CONNECTICUT.

DEVICE FOR REMOVING ARTICLES FROM SHOW-WINDOWS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,954, dated February 20, 1900.

Application filed December 9, 1899. Serial No. 739,796. (No model.)

To whom itmcty concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN (J. ERNST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ansonia, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Device for Removing Articles from Show-\Vindows, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to provide animplement adapted for general use in handling articles of little weight which are not within convenient reach of the operatoras, for example, in placing articles in show-windows and removing them therefrom without its being necessary for the operator to climb into the window or to disturb any of the articles therein except the special article he desires to reach.

The difiiculty in reaching articles on exhibition in large show-windows-forexample, in, store-windows where articles of jewelry upon cards, notions generally, andmens and womens furnishing goods are exhibited-is universal and is a matter of serious inconvenience, it being not infrequently necessary for both merchant and customer to go to the outside of the window for the article to be pointed out and after identification of the article required for the merchant to hunt up a duplicate in reserve stock.

In order to overcome the difficulties now experienced in removing articles from showwindows and replacing them therein without disturbing the general decoration of the window and in order, moreover, to dispense with the necessity of keeping duplicates in reserve stock of articles in the window, I have devised a simple and light implement adapted to be operated with one hand, by which moderately-light articles of any sort may be handled in any portion of the largest show-windows without requiring that the operator get into the window and without disturbing other articles.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is an elevation of my novel implement, and Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

The essential features of my novel implement are jaws, a rod by which they 'are carried, aspring for normally holding them open, and convenient means for closing the jaws without using the other hand.

10 denotes one of the jaws, which I have shown as made integral with a ferrule 11, and 12 a jaw hinged thereto, as at 13. The special shape of these jaws is not of the essence of my invention, although the curved jaws illustrated in the drawings have proved especially adapted for general use. The ferrule is carried by a rod 14, preferably made of light wood and having at its other end a handle 15 for convenience in use. Jaw 12 is shown as provided near its inner end with an arm 16, which extends from the inner face thereof and passes through a slot 17in jaw 10. The'movement of jaw 12 in opening is limited by a pin 18, which passes through the arm and engages the outer face of jaw 10, jaw 12 being normally retained at the open position by a spring 19. I have shown this spring as made of wire and U-shaped, so as to straddle arm 16 and bear upon pin 18 on both sides of said arm, the requisite amount of resiliency being imparted to the spring by coils 20 and the spring being shown as retained in place by passing the ends of the piece of wire from which it is formed through the base of jaw 10 and heading or soldering the ends in place.

21 denotes an operating-lever pivoted to the rod or to the handle, as most convenient, and 22 a wire or cord extending from the opcrating-lever to arm 16, said wire or cord passing through one or more eyes 23 upon the rod, by which it is held in place. I have shown the operating-lever as made L-shaped and the attaching end as bifurcated, so as to straddle the rod to which itis pivoted, as at 24.

The operation is too obvious to require description in detail. The implement is always ready for use, and but one hand is required to manipulate it. The operator places the jaws on opposite sides of the article desired and then closes the jaws by means of the opcrating-lever and removes or replaces the article. As soon as the operator releases the operating-lever the jaws release the article that has been grasped.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. A device of the character described comprising jaws hinged together, one of said jaws having a slot and the other an arm passing through said slot, a pin passing through said arm and adapted to engage the outer face of one jaw to limit the movement of the other position, arod by which the ferrule is carried, jaw in opening, and a spring engaging said i an operating-lever pivoted to the rod, and a pin and acting to normally hold the jaws in the open position.

2. A device of the character described comprising a fixed jaw having a slot, a ferrule by which it is carried, a hinged jaw having an arm passing through the slot, a pin passing through the arm and engaging the back of one jaw to limit the movement of the other jaw in opening, a spring engaging the pin and acting to hold the hinged jaw in the open wire extending from said lever to the arm 15 whereby the hinged jaw may be operated against the power of the spring.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. ERNST.

Witnesses:

REUBEN H. TUCKER, R. N. JoHN UEsT. 

